Bob Marley’s hit tune, “One Love,” was greater than only a hit single for the Worldwide reggae artist, however an anthem that embodied his lifestyle. Nobody knew this greater than his spouse and the opposite seven girls who grew to become moms of his youngsters.
Between the eight girls, Rita Marley, Cheryl Murrah, Janet Bowen, Lucy Pounder, Janet Hunt, Anita Belnais, Cindy Breakspeare, and Pat Williams, the Jamaican icon fathered 13 youngsters.
Alfarita “Rita” Constantia Anderson and Bob have been married in 1966 when she was 20 and he was 21. The 2 met when Rita shaped a singing trio referred to as the Soulettes and had labored with Bob as a vocal and recording coach. They have been work associates, however by way of his persistent courting, it grew to become one thing else.
The “Redemption Track” singer was “sending his letters by way of his associates, not by himself, by way of his associates, to say that he preferred me and wished to return over and discuss,” mentioned Rita in an interview with Rolling Stone.
The 2 fell in love, by no means understanding that their bond would create Caribbean royalty.
Along with turning into his spouse and queen, she additionally launched Bob to Rastafarianism, the non secular observe that he embraced for the remainder of his life.
Cheryl Murray, Mom of Imani Carole Marley
Each Rita and Bob had youngsters earlier than they have been married.
His first daughter, Imani Carole Marley was born on Could 22, 1963, to him and her mom Cheryl Murray. He was 18 on the time. Little is understood about Imani or her mom. Imani lives a low-key life in Atlanta and isn’t listed as one of many Marley youngsters on his official web site.
Nonetheless, she is linked to many in Bob’s circumference, and when Bunny Wailer died in 2021, she posted her condolences on social media, writing, “My Uncle Livi…..died this morning. The final of the unique Wailers has gone to affix that eternal jam session.”
The member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority may be very personal, posting just a few footage of a lady she calls “Mother” and her “Woman” on her Instagram.
Rita Marley, Mom of Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley and Stephanie Marley
Like Bob, Rita additionally had a bit daughter from a earlier relationship earlier than getting married. Her identify was Sharon, and she or he was born on Nov. 23, 1964. When she was 2 years outdated, Bob legally adopted her, gave her his final identify, and beloved her dearly. The id of Sharon’s organic father has not been made public.
After the pair bonded over music and married, they began to construct their very own household: Cedella (56); David Nesta aka “Ziggy” (55); and Stephen Robert (50).
Rita had one extra daughter, Serita Stewart, with Jamaican soccer participant Owen “Ital Cheesy” Stewart, whereas married to Bob in 1974. Like Sharon, Bob additionally adopted the younger woman and included her into his household.
In accordance with the spouse, she and her husband had an understanding about love, their relationships and the kids that got here from them.
In 2012, she mentioned, “Bob wished me to have a child annually, however he additionally wished me to proceed being a backing singer in his band and to go on the highway with him. On the time she mentioned she knew he had “eight he had with different girls.”
“So what that he had youngsters with different girls? He was all the time truthful,” Rita continued about Marley, “he all the time advised me when one other youngster was on the way in which. He would even deliver the infants to me once they have been born, and generally I’d even deliver them up myself.”
Rita was later accused of forging Bob Marley’s signature to allow attorneys to divert some $9 million of the property’s property. She additionally suffered criticism from the moms who had “totally different opinions” about her preventing for management of Bob’s property. He had no will and she or he as soon as claimed that she needed to solicit cash and take donations from individuals to purchase again Bob’s identify and likeness.
Pat Williams, Mom of Robert Nesta Marley
Little is understood about Pat Williams, Bob’s third mom of his youngsters. Nonetheless, Robert, who’s affectionately referred to as “Robbie” was born in 1972 and retains a really low profile. Cautious to ensure consideration stays on his father’s legacy — and hardly sharing something about his mom’s life — he mentioned that along with his father being quiet, affected person, and strict, he was additionally a instructor and a father to all, not simply his youngsters, emphasizing how he made certain that every one of his youngsters knew one another.
Janet Hunt, Mom of Rohan Marley
Rohan and Robbie have been born months aside by two totally different girls. And similar to Pat Williams, Rohan’s mom, Janet Hunt lives a lifetime of obscurity, shielding her life from all the intrusiveness of Bob’s movie star standing.
Rohan is a former College of Miami soccer participant and now a serial entrepreneur. He additionally has a quiver full of kids like his father. He has a daughter named Eden (1994) and a son Nico (1995) along with his first spouse Geraldine Khawly, his school sweetheart whom he married in 1993. The duo divorced in 1996.
After his divorce from Khawly, he was in a relationship with hip-hop famous person Lauryn Hill. With the chart-topper, he had 5 youngsters, Zion, 27, Selah, 25, Joshua Omaru, 23, John Nesta, 21, and Sara, who turned 16 earlier this 12 months. Zion is most recognized for being the topic of Hill’s megahit tune “To Zion.”
Janet Bowen, Mom of Karen Marley
Like her brothers, Robbie and Rohan, Karen’s mom Janet Bowen has additionally lived a life away from the Marley identify and model. Karen was born in London, England, in 1973 on account of a whirlwind romance between her mother and pop.
Her mother, who was affectionately referred to as “Janet from England” by the artist, allowed Karen to be raised in Jamaica with the remainder of the Marley youngsters. Consequently, she additionally seems to be to Rita and her grandmother on the island as her maternal influences.
Lucy Pounder, Mom of Julian Marley
Julian Marley, born in 1975, took after a lot of his siblings and his well-known father and have become a musician, songwriter, and producer.
Barbados-born Lucy Pounder lived in London, the place she raised her son, Julian. In accordance with Julian, Pounder raised him modestly, permitting him to go to public college, and elevating him round different Caribbean individuals in the UK.
Whereas the custodial dad or mum, Pounder was beneficiant with permitting Julian to go to his household in Jamaica yearly, and by the age of 17 he moved to the island to pursue a music profession and to study the household’s religion.
Julian is a Grammy award-winning artist who not solely misplaced his father at a younger age to most cancers, but in addition misplaced his daughter Caveri when she was 11 years outdated to the horrible illness in 2019. Now, he spends his time advocating for the usage of medical marijuana for kids and analysis surrounding hashish therapy to remedy the illness.
Anita Belnavis, Mom of Ky-Mani Marley
Exterior of Rita, none of Bob’s youngsters’s moms had a star following — apart from Anita Belnavis. She was a Jamaican desk tennis champion who gave start to his son Ky-Mani Marley in 1976. She dated the reggae singer from 1975 to 1976.
Belnavis says they chose her son’s identify from an East African custom and it means, “Adventurous Traveler.”
Like his mother, Ky-Mani for a short while was an athlete, enjoying American soccer for a while in his teenagers.
She was very targeted on exposing her son to the humanities, ensuring that he had piano, guitar, and trumpet classes when he was younger. He in a position to safe a spot enjoying the trumpet in his college’s band. A baby of the occasions, Ky-Mani additionally was a rapper and DJ as a teen.
These abilities, which she helped lay the inspiration for, helped set in movement his profession in music, incomes him a Grammy nomination in 2002.
Cindy Breakspeare, Mom of Damian Marley
Damian Marley’s mom, Cindy Breakspeare, the 1976 Miss World, is probably the most outspoken girls that Bob was in a relationship exterior of his spouse.
One among Breakspeare’s claims to fame is that lots of the love songs on the “Exodus” album have been written about her.
Clear on their love, she wrote on Instagram, “Bob, on what would have been your 79th Birthday, I have a good time the unbelievable affect you’ve had globally, cherish our wonderful son Damian, and reminisce in regards to the stunning occasions we shared—from 56 Hope Highway to your mom’s house in Delaware and Miami, New York, Oakley Road in London, The Bahamas, Trinidad, and past.”
Including, “The reminiscences are numerous, however our love for you is limitless. Comfortable Birthday to the individuals’s hero, beloved and revered by all.”
The Canadian-born Jamaican moved to Jamaica when she was 5. Earlier than turning into Miss World, she received the Miss Jamaica Physique Lovely title whereas working on the Spartan Well being Membership.
She mentioned that being white and Miss Jamaica shocked lots of people.
“After I went to Iceland, I noticed I wasn’t white and once I went to Nigeria, I wasn’t Black,” she mentioned. “They have been anticipating somebody of darker complexion. What that did, I believe, was actually spotlight for me the distinctiveness of the Jamaican expertise and what it means to be Jamaican. It’s not a coloration factor. It’s a cultural factor and if you see the way in which Jamaica tradition has taken over the world, to be Jamaican is the good factor.”
Yvette Crichton, Mom of Makeda Jahnesta Marley
The final of Bob’s youngsters is Makeda Jahnesta Marley, who was born in 1981 in Miami to Yvette Crichton. Crichton gave start to Makeda lower than three weeks after her well-known father died.
There additionally gave the impression to be no pressure between Crichton and Rita, and Makeda was allowed to stick with her incessantly. She is a graduate of Coatesville Space Senior Excessive College & West Chester College.
In 2010, Makeda, who at present lives in Philadelphia, was positioned on probation for seven years for rising marijuana in her house and dangers the potential of a 15- to 59-month state jail sentence if she violates the phrases of her launch.
Discover out extra about Bob Marley’s life and his youngsters within the new autobiographical film, “One Love,” in theatres now.
